Neil Gaiman Explains What the Heck AMERICAN GODS Is About

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If you’re a fan of American Gods, chances are you’ve attempted to explain the concept of the novel by Neil Gaiman and the Starz television adaptation to a friend in the past few months. “It’s about the Old Gods vs. the New Gods,” I’ve said when asked, “It’s about belief and immigration.” I’d get puzzled looks and wrap with some version of, “Look, it’s wild and full of symbolism and good. Trust me, it’s something you need to read and watch.”

As far as summaries go, mine were not fantastic.

Happily, Gaiman has my back. The author shared a primer video that directly answers the question, “What is American Gods about?” Unsurprisingly, he has a concise reply that hits all important notes of the story about Shadow Moon and the bizarre yet not bizarre world he’s found himself in. Watch and learn:

I’m going to save the video for the next time I get asked about the series, but I’ll still end with, “Trust me; read the book and watch the TV show. You’ll thank me later.”

And while we’re on the topic of Gaiman and American Gods, here’s what he wants viewers to take away from the series. If you haven’t read the book, be aware there is a minor spoiler in the video: